raw cards, shipping and corner damage ?????

ColleSystem

I just bought 2 sets of vintage star wars cards (330 cards each) in pack fresh condition that I am going to be using in my registry. The seller is planning on shipping these in a half dozen standard plastic cases. The ones that are about 2" high with the lids that snap shut. He says that he normally puts a small amount of filler along the insides to keep them from moving.

Do you think that the corners will arrive in the same condition as sent. He has offered to sell me 9 pocket sheet holders to use in shipping if I would prefer?????????

thanks,
Scott

joemaggio

I think cards in the plastic cases will arrive in the same condition they were in when they went into the case. Assuming the cases are taped shut, not over or under-filled and well packed in the box, this shouldn't be a problem.

blue227

IMO, I do not recommend using those hard plastic cases as I've had a couple of bad experiences with cards arriving in things. Any type of movement can ding the corners. My feeling is that those things were made for kids to store their Pokemon cards so they can take them to school and that they are not ideal to transport any cards of value. Shipping them in 9 pocket sheets is not a good idea either as the cards can easily slide out of those things. The best bet for shippping 660 vintage cards is to have the seller ship them in individual card savers. While that may not be practical, the next best thing is to ship them in a 800 count box with padding (i.e. paper towels) on 3 sides (left, right & top) to prevent the cards moving around inside the box. Then, ask the seller to double-box it and to pack the 800 count box in a larger box surrounded by foam pellets that completely fills the box. The idea here is that you do not want any sort of movement.

ColleSystem

Thanks for the input. Since I am a condition freak, I think I will send them 660 card saver I holders and pay them labor for individually sleeving each card. The seller has indicated that they are willing to work with me. I really don't have a problem incurring extra shipping and handling expenses since my main objective is mint cards.

montanafan

i agree individual card savers are the only way to be really safe.. those boxes in my experience have mangled more than a few corners due to movement in the box.. recently i bought a very expensive card that was shipped inside a box like that (although it was the only card in a 1/2" deep box with no padding) and 2 corners suffered damage.. i was not pleased and had to return it.. now good luck getting the seller to sleeve up that many cards for you, and if he doesn't know what he's doing, you might actually risk more damage from someone handling each and every card.. just one more thing to consider.... i would figure that putting the cards carefully into card savers would take at least 2 hours and possibly longer..

Wabittwax

I would go with the suggestion that blue227 made. While Card Savers are very secure, your gonna wind up paying a lot in shipping both ways and there is a much greater chance of him damaging your cards. He's not gonna take as much time doing it as you would. When he hits about card 246, he's gonna start shoving them in the card savers like a factory worker on a conveyor belt.

montanafan

and have him wrap the first box in bubble wrap inside the box, the stuff with the BIG bubbles, not the cheap stuff.. not crumpled newspaper or folded up envelopes, or potato chip bags or whatever else 95% of sellers use instead of shipping correctly.... there needs to be no possible way for the cards to move inside the boxes, so they must be packed right.. you should be able to pick that package up and move it around and feel absolutely no movement of any kind inside.. keep in mind the postal service will be tossing that box around, bouncing it off the floor, throwing it on your porch, etc...

5STAT

the cards will travel well...as long as he put a couple junk cards on the bottom of the case..and on the top...to absorb and movement. It's that easy....

you know he has junk cards laying aroung....just have him put 4-5 on the top and bottom and make sure the cases are TAPED shut!!! As long as the box they go in is packed with peanuts or paper..they won't move...

As far as putting them into 9 pocket sheets....you'd probably end up with more damage that way....we all know how easy it is to ding a corner if you're not careful putting the cards in. you think he's going to take the time and do it like you would??

Stick with the cases...you'll be fine!!

Bruce (5_stat)

MorrellMan

Multi count plastic boxes are the worst. Picture your postal worker casually tossing the box on a heap. When it lands, the contents are jarred. The corners of every card are right next to a piece of hard plastic. If the card moves, the plastic doesn't.

I would agree about the card savers as well. Sleeving 660 cards takes a while - I know when I do that, I work slowly and carefully. I wouldn't expect that of someone getting rid of the cards.

9 pocket sheets is probably the worst scenerio. Cards will definitely shift out of the pockets and risk major damage, especially if there is tape in the package.

I would suggest the padded box method. Have the seller envision what the package might go through in transit and have him do the following:

Band the cards in groups of 100 with 2" strips of paper on the width and 1" strips on the length that crisscross the cards in the center - nothing touching the corners. Band them loosely enough so there is no pressure on the edges but tightly enough so the cards stay in a group.

Then band each group in similar fashion, this time using the same 1 or 2 " strips of large bubble wrap. The corners should now be well protected with at least a 1/2" of air space around them.

Wrap all 6 or 7 groups looselywith a large sheet of small bubble wrap, making sure no pressure is exerted on the cards, but tight enough to hold the group together.

Place the whole package in a larger box with padding, either peanuts or bubble wrap (or those plastic air bags), making sure the cards are suspended within the center of the box. There should be enough padding so that there is no discernible movement inside the box after sealing and shaking.

Ship and pray a truck doesn't drive over it.

ColleSystem

<< <i>When he hits about card 246, he's gonna start shoving them in the card savers like a factory worker on a conveyor belt. >>



Very true. In light of the new comments, I sent an email to the seller telling him to ship them in the cases using the above suggestions. I explained that I plan on buying several sets and boxes in the next year to build a high grade set, and that I wanted to develope a "rock-solid" shipping procedure with him for future purchases.

-Scott

smallstocks

When I ship in plastic snap cases, I carefully insert tissues all around to minimize movement and dinging. I have never had one complaint.

Mike

jradke4

I would just have them put them in a 800ct cardboard box. Fill void with tissue, foam, peanuts etc. Tape the boxe completely. Put in another larger box, that is padded with newspaper etc, so 800ct box doesnt move. To me anything beyond this will drive the seller nuts and you will more than likely end up with more damaged cards. Think, the more the cards are handled, the more chances they have of getting damaged.

montanafan

very true.. what would you guys charge someone to sleeve up 600 cards in card savers? i would probably do it for a good customer, but i'd sure hate their cards by the time i was finished.. LOL

jradke4

he would have to be one great customer for that. when I do my own i end up losing skin near my finger nails.